IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15338, 23 July 1915, Page 5

IN SOUTH CANTERBURY.

A correspondent writes :— During the last few days winter has been leavened by some spring-like weather, causing a speedy growth, which is noticeable everywhere upon the grass lands and roadsides. Of the districts about Arundel, Orari bridge, Woodbury, or Kakahu. it would be safe to say that they look less bare of feed at tho present moment than at the end of autumn. The hot north-west winds have put several of the rivers in high fresh, notably the Upper Orari flooded suddenly within a couple of hours. Recent rainfalls have brought the ground into first-class working order, and all tho ploughing teams have been busily employed; but even yet the coil a foot or so below the surface is dry and hard as a brick. Aa evidence of the extraordinary season, the wells have run dry at various places near Orari and Geraldine, and three days of steady rain would "do much to improve the farming outlook. With very few exceptions the oorn crops are making excellent progress, particularly the Dun oats, which will bo most ueeful in helping to fill the short supply of sheep feed. Complainte are numerous of the mischief done by small birds, chiefly tho larks, who have been pulling up the.young wheat, when it was an inch or two above the ground. By the way, paradise ducks have appeared in unusual numbers upon the riverbeds, and country people cay this means bad weather ahead, but I notice that the birds are generally to be seen in pairs, and a more likely reason is an early nesting season. A quinnat salmon of about twenty pounds has been found in a backwater of the Rangitata. I have its measurements, but it was not I weighed. This is the largest of several seen or reported in the past week. Following the example set by Pleas- | ant Valley on one side and Rangitata ; on the other, a most successful R«d i Cross social has been brought off at ] Orar; bridsro. The social wae very lart'plv attended. Tho sales of a flag produced over £50. and altogether the entertainment was responsible for the collection of a very substantial sum.